The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 3:24-16; 4:1-2, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor

to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that

faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons

of God through faith in Christ Jesus….Now I say, as long as the heir

is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner

of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date

set by the father.”

I recently read of a boys’ “Gentlemen’s School” in Wisconsin. They

are taught how to shake hands, tie a tie, and show respect to others.

It excited me because I am appalled by the crumbling of our culture.

I’ve never been stogey, but proper manners are always commendable.

Three words (emboldened above) give us a glimpse of how the

early Hebrews of biblical times taught their children. The word

translated “tutor” (“schoolmaster in KJV) is ?????????? (paidagogos).

It means a slave who led a child from home to school, and protected

his moral conduct. When other boys would attempt to seduce him

into participating in bad things, the “tutor” was present to prohibit it.

The Law (Ten Commandments) served as a “tutor” to protect the

Jewish people until Christ Jesus came. He now protects the morality

and conduct of His people through the Holy Spirit.

The word “guardian” (????????? (epitropos) refers to a slave who

taught him academic subjects (reading, writing, etc.) and cultural

manners, much like the Gentlemen’s Club to which I referred earlier.

The word “manager” (????????? (oikonomos) is a household word

that referred to the child’s monetary inheritance. This slave cared

for the child’s money until the child was mature and could care for

it himself.

All of this is an allegorical demonstration of God’s care for His

children from the time of their “new birth” to their maturity in the

faith. Learning anything is a process; and learning to live as Jesus

intends us demands our concentration on His Word (the Bible) and

our earnest will and desire to be what He died and arose to make us.

When our proper manners are in place, He uses us “to the praise of

His glory” (Eph. 1:12). Don’t you want to be used like that? I do!

May the LORD bless you abundantly, is our daily prayer,

Nana & Dado III

Update on Nana (Rose Marie): She is getting stronger by the day.

Her latest X-Ray showed she is making

progress in the fight against pneumonia.

I know she appreciates your prayers!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”